Bars & Clubs March - April 2017

MARCH/APRIL 2017

&clubs

MIXERS

James Irvine on using cream and Mikey Nicolian on creating shrubs

SCOTCH WHISKY Don’t be a blend snob!

ACHING JOINTS?

Why it’s time to look after your body

JAMES CONNOLLY

The Beverage Director of Long Chim on management clichés, working across state lines and how he staffs his venues

PLUS: GETTING SOUR BEER ON THE MENU – THE OLD FASHIONED – SOURCING ETHICAL INGREDIENTS

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first drinks

GO WEST

In fact, a

cursory glance at Perth these days might

make you think that the city has recently instituted prohibition laws – the number of

venues on the market is staggering. @BARSANDCLUBSMAGAZINE

MANAGING DIRECTOR Simon Grover PUBLISHER Paul Wootton pwootton@intermedia.com.au EDITOR Stefanie Collins scollins@intermedia.com.au PHOTOGRAPHER Claudia Morgan’s profile: Bon Askew Black Pearl/Speak Low: 50 Best Bars

/BARSANDCLUB

PRODUCTION MANAGER Jacqui Cooper

Stefanie Collins Editor

@BARS_AND_CLUBS

GENERAL MANAGER SALES – LIQUOR & HOSPITALITY GROUP Shane T Williams stwilliams@intermedia.com.au GRAPHIC DESIGN Ryan Vizcarra ryanv@intermedia.com.au

It’s all too easy to get caught up in what is happening on the east coast and forget that there is a thriving bar scene in the west as well.

There is also, unfortunately, a potential crisis brewing in Perth with the post-mining boom economy starting to impact how much people are spending on booze and the sorts of venues they’re patronising.

In fact, a cursory glance at Perth these days might make you think that the city has recently instituted prohibition laws – the number of venues on the market is staggering.

So what’s the story? According to a veteran local bar manager, there are a lot of inexperienced operators that set up shop without any real purpose, except to make money.

Now the mining dollars have dried up, “mediocre” bars that haven’t “added anything to the bar culture” of the city are finding themselves high and dry.

However, with venues in the city and Northbridge “upping their game”, places that were once avoided like the plague are now thriving hospitality centres.

That said, the industry in Perth is acknowledging the downturn in subtle ways – the recent slew of CBD and Northbridge bars getting behind Andy Freeman and Tim McLernon’s “Let’s Thursday Like We Friday” campaign is evidence of that.

All the doom and gloom has a flip side however, the Perth bar scene deserves the props it has been getting in national and international media, and the number of successful venues that are creating truly interesting drinking experiences is great to see.

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MARCH/APRIL 19

Features 19 HARRIET LEIGH Has some opinions on female pirates and why they’re more interesting than asking her about being “a female in the bar industry”.

20 ROUND TABLE Black Pearl keeps winning awards for its amazing bar team – we asked why that is.

28 SCOTCH WHISKY 101 Why blends are having a moment, using peat in cocktail recipes, and a regional style primer.

20

32 GIN TIME Local gin distillers are exploring terroir as well as how to keep their botanicals ethical.

38 MIX IT UP Wine as a cocktail mixer? How about cream?

And while you’re at it, why not perfect some house-made shrubs?

42 SOUR BEER It might not be the new IPA, but these styles of beers have a lot to offer on a beer list.

Regulars

28

8 NEWS What you need to know.

10 OPENINGS The new, the revamped, and the rebranded venues opening around the country.

12 INSPIRATION This Shanghai bar should be on your bucket list for all the right reasons.

15 NEW FACES Keep an eye on these bartenders.

16 OLD FASHIONED The OG cocktail – where it came from, why you should perfect it, and how to twist it.

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10 16

24

24 OPERATOR PROFILE James Connolly has been propping up some of the best bars in Perth for a while now. We find out how he runs a tight ship over state lines.

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BARS&clubs 7

news

MIKEY ENRIGHT LAUNCHES GIN-SCENTED GROOMING RANGE

Combining his love for gin and men’s style, Mikey Enright wanted to use this knowledge and create something with the botanicals other than another than the much-loved alcoholic drink.

“I wanted to create a gin experience in The Barber Shop as well as the bar, so after years of research and an idea becoming a reality, I’m proud to introduce Enright’s Original Gin scented grooming product range.”

And he means “years”, telling us at the launch that he has spent two years, almost to the day, developing the range.

Enright’s Original Gin grooming products are made in Australia with the finest natural ingredients and no petroleum. They contains 16 botanicals, including juniper, bergamot, ginger, cardamon, coriander seed, grains of paradise, lavender, rosemary, rose, orris root, violet, cyprus, liquorice root, sweet orange and lemon.

“It’s all about boutique brands for men who want to try something new and different to the market. These gin based men’s grooming products have been created using botanicals and are the most stylish and unique on the market,” he says.

Oh and we can recommend the moisturiser for the ladies out there as well. The Enright’s Original Gin product range now available at The Barbershop York St, The Barbershop Barangaroo or online at thisisthebarbershop.com and enrightsgincompany.com.

NEW ORLEANS Tales of the Cocktail has released its seminar line-up for 2017, in New Orleans from 18-23 July.

84 original seminars have been selected to address virtually every aspect of the cocktail and spirits industries, while being presented by some of the industries’ most wellknown professionals.

Find out more at the TOTC website.

8 BARS&clubs

DAVE KERR WINS LEGACY Dave Kerr of Melbourne’s The Beaufort & Ike’s it the 2017 Bacardi Legacy Australia champion.

According to the judges, it was a combination of Kerr’s cocktail – The Viento – and his stage presence – “oozing with confidence and charisma” – that won the judges over. He will compete at globals in Berlin in May.

WHEN IS RUM NOT ACTUALLY RUM IN AUSTRALIA? With the explosion of craft distilleries in Australia, there has been an influx into the market of small-batch, craft spirits. And while most of them are amazing quality, there are some issues around the legalities of naming – especially when it comes to rum and whisky.

As such, the Australian Distillers Association (ADA) has produced the ADA Guidance Summary, designed to assist members with the legal definitions of Australian brandy, rum and whisky. With so many new distilleries opening across the country it can be difficult for venue managers to be sure that what they are buying is legitimate. Good news is, you can get your hands on it from the ADA website and educate yourself – and your customers – around what is what on your back bar.

CRAFT NITRO STOUT CANS LAUNCH Get your nitro fix without changing your taps. Just remember the pouring instructions are key: do not be gentle. In fact, the more vigorous you are the better the nitro effect will be. Catch the instructional video on Batch Brewing Co’s Facebook page if you need further encouragement.

news DO YOU IGNORE YOUR SOCIAL FOLLOWERS? 25 per cent of Australian hotels, bars and restaurants on Instagram are not actively publishing or engaging with users. A report, published by Hootsuite, states that 71 per cent of consumers make purchasing decisions based upon what they discover on social media; while hotels, bars and restaurants that are active on social are perceived 20 per cent more positively than those who aren’t. Only 4 per cent of hotels, bars and restaurants are engaging with customers who tag their location on Instagram.

Are you?

YOUR SUNDAY PENALTY RATES JUST GOT SLASHED

The Fair Work Commission announced that Sunday penalty rates will be reduced for hospitality workers. Your Sunday rates (full-time and part-time) will be cut from 175 per cent of their standard wage to 150 per cent.

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every

seconds

DEAD RABBIT AUSTRALIA So, a Dead Rabbit Australian pop-up was announced for Black Pearl, The Gresham, and Baxter Inn. Did you miss out on tickets too? According to co-organiser Griffin Blumer of Poor Toms Gin, even he was taken aback, telling us that he missed out on buying extras for himself too. The details for those under rocks: NYC’s Dead Rabbit Grocery and Grog is coming to Australia for three collaborative events with the aforementioned bars. Tickets sold out in less than 24 hours.

LOCKOUTS MOVING VIOLENCE

TL:DR – Lockouts still suck, Sydney’s violence problem has moved not been resolved, the state government still has its head in the sand.

A NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) study shows that assaults have decreased in the Kings Cross and Sydney CBD lockout precincts, while in areas including The Star Casino, Ultimo and Surry Hills, have seen a 12 per cent increase in non-domestic assaults. Areas including Double Bay, Newtown and Bondi, copped a 17 per cent rise in non-domestic assaults.

WHY? Well the biff over the cost of penalty rates has been going on for some time now, with the commission hearing evidence from industry groups and unions since 2015.

WHO IS PUSHING IT? Employers and some Coalition MPs have been arguing that Sunday rates should be the same as Saturday rates because the higher wages are no longer appropriate. So far, Labor and the union movement have maintained their strongly opposition to the cuts, with Bill Shorten running it as a campaign point in the recent federal election.

How often an Australian hotel, bar or restaurant is tagged on Instagram.

HAVE YOU SEEN BARS&CLUBS ONLINE?

All the latest industry news, along with features, tips and tutorials.

WHO IS SUPPORTING HOSPO WORKERS? Your union, United Voice, has lobbied the Coalition and Labor on penalty rates since the 2015 and has been picketing parliamentary offices to push their point.

WHAT DOES THE PUBLIC THINK? According to the ABC, polling by the union that was released recently found that voters in five marginal NSW seats — Robertson, Gilmore, Page, Reid and Banks — were opposed to cutting weekend penalty rates.

WHAT’S NEXT? We’ll keep you updated…

BARS&clubs 9

openings

HOUSE OF CORRECTION A

ccording to the team behind new bar House of Correction, sometimes a building’s underbelly starts to show through the cracks during a renovation.

When The Next Week Group – the bar’s operators – began renovations on the site of the Denyers Building, what was revealed was none other than the pornographic silhouettes left behind by former tenant, the infamously sinful Shaft Cinemas, barely hidden beneath peeling layers of paint.

“Digging deeper, the 1889 building revealed an even more mixed and dubious history,” says the team.

“A medical supplier whose ‘supplies’ 10 BARS&clubs

included human skeletons, adjacent to the local Chinese firecracker business. Seeped into the brickwork was a general vibe of the ‘just not quite right’.”

So rather than trying to clean up the building’s image, they set about amplifying it – naming the soon to open bar after an historical term for ‘an institution where vagrants and minor offenders were confined and set to work’.

As The Next Week Group says: “A place to drink for the not quite mad, not quite bad, but quite possibly a little dangerous to know”.

The House of Correction space has been designed by ZWEI architects (the team

responsible for Code Black) who has focused the design of the space on gently alluding to the darker side and mixed history of the venue, while studiously avoiding wandering into the realms of the ‘themed’ bar.

The bar team is headed up by David Smillie (ex-Eau De Vie, Sydney) and the four week rotating mixed drinks menu will be complemented by an extensive back bar, comprehensive bottled and tap beer selection, and a small but well-chosen wine offering.

Address: The Denyers Building, 264 Swanston St Melbourne

openings

Endeavour Tap Rooms

Bar group operators Applejack Hospitality, have collaborated with Endeavour Vintage Beer Co to open the Endeavour Tap Rooms in The Rocks. Well-known for their amazing interior design, Applejack entrusted Welsh + Major with transforming the heritage venue into a contemporary space, that still paid homage to the building’s history. The restaurant menu lends itself to the beers on tap, with head chef Sam Tingle focusing on smoked produce, local ingredients, and producers that support ethical farming practices. As well as beer, there is a Four Pillars Gin “Australian Negroni” on tap. The seasonal cocktail list has been created by Applejack’s Lachy Sturrock.

Nola

NOLA is dedicated to American whiskies, with its 500-plus collection due to increase to 1,000 very soon. The vast list includes: Michter’s Celebration Sour Mash, limited edition Pappy Van Winkle, Knob Creek Smoked Maple Bourbon, High West Yippee Ki-Yay and Seven Stills Chocasmoke, a spirit made from chocolate oatmeal stout. The cocktail list leans toward classics like Sazeracs and Ramos Gin Fizzes.

The food of New Orleans is a melting pot of cuisines including French, Spanish, Mexican, South American and North Africa, all reflected in a menu which features: Jack’s Creek dry aged beef brisket; organic tea-brined smoked chicken; spit roasted Junee lamb; and Melanda Park pork shoulder, smoked and pulled.

Johnny Fontane’s

Darlinghurst’s newly rejuvenated Stanley St has another new bar to add to its arsenal, with Johnny Fontane’s – a cigar, cocktail, and pizza bar. Named after the fictional godson of mob boss Vito Corleone from The Godfather, the drinks menu focuses on three specialties: cocktails based on Italian liquors; modern twists on classics such as the Martini and Negroni; and Italian and American wines and craft beers. The crown jewel, however, is the Chicago Deep Dish pizza pie menu from executive chef Cy Gwynne (ex-Longrain and Café Sydney) – there is even one that features meatballs. In addition, Johnny Fontane’s will also sell Cuban cigars for guests to enjoy, cocktail in hand, on the cigar deck.

Caboose

Caboose delivers a big product in a small venue: 12 rotating taps of craft beer with an emphasis on the seasonal and the experimental. The space has a Viking beer hall feel: the bar front is lined with old stained wine barrels, the bar top is wrapped in stained copper, and there is a large amber mural of dwarves cruising on a beer sea. While the bartenders take their beer very seriously, Caboose prides itself on being relaxed and welcoming, free from the snobbery that can plague the craft beer scene.

The wine list, while offering some new and quirky products, is still small and approachable, and the food menu focuses on the best beer accompaniments – think onion rings, sticky Hop Hog bacon burger, and fried chicken.

Address: 39-43 Argyle Street, The Rocks, Sydney NSW

Address: 1/200 Barangaroo Avenue, Sydney NSW

Address: 77 Stanley St, Darlinghurst NSW

Address: 639 Beaufort St, Mount Lawley WA

BARS&clubs 11

12 BARS&clubs

inspiration

SPEAK LOW T

here are many places that should be on your list to hit up around the world, and Shingo Gokan’s Shanghai speakeasy is definitely one.

Located in an area when plenty of bars have previously gone to die, Speak Low is a masterclass in hidden bar creation: a slide-away bookcase leads to a three story bar concept that flows seamlessly from a high-volume bar – that focuses on inventive house cocktails and homages to classics from NYC’s PDT, and Angel’s Share – to the upstairs’ more focused offering of Japanesefocused ingredients and rarefied spirits – think the signature Speak Low cocktail, featuring Bacardi 8, Pedro Ximenez sherry, matcha tea and kinako (which is a kind of roasted soybean flour).

Don’t take our word for it though, Alexander Barlow’s review for 50 Best Bars is stellar, and includes gems like: “Gokan’s other big coup is his staff. Fay Chen is one of the few female bar managers in Shanghai and, intentionally or not, this means Speak Low has felt less of a sausage party than the other overly gendered boys’ club bars elsewhere in town that have long tried, and mostly failed, to court likely the most adventurous half of Shanghai’s drinking populace.”

Sounds good to us.

Find Speak Low at: 579 Fuxing Zhong Lu, Near Ruijin Er Lu, Huangpu District, Shanghai

BARS&clubs 13

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new faces

Claudia Morgan, Mechanics Institute (WA)

I became a bartender because… I liked the sociable, fun environment you work in and I was looking to expand my hospitality knowledge. My service weapon is… my bar blade.

The best part of the industry is… the people you get to work with and the customers you meet. The worst part is… that working the crazy hours can lead to an unhealthy lifestyle, it’s easy to have irregular eating patterns and very easy to consume alcohol every day.

The international bar I want to visit is… Milk & Honey if it wasn’t closed. If I could serve someone famous it would be… Shia LaBoeuf. The cocktail I would make cool again is… the Gibson Martini – I’m obsessed with pickled vegetables and really into savoury cocktails.

Drinkers are paying attention to… spins on classic cocktails and great Australian craft beer. If I ruled the world, I would… make everyone venture beyond Espresso Martinis.

Elise Godwin, The Dominion League (WA)

I became a bartender because… I was a bit over being on the floor and figured if I had to know all the cocktails as a waitress I should bartend. My service weapon is… Two bar spoons to execute a double stir. The best part of the industry is… The opportunities are endless, and gives a creative mind a lot to think about and the support, connections and friendships you make are priceless. The worst part is… Customers who don’t appreciate that you are a human being and treat you like a servant. The international bar I want to visit is… Death And Co. If I could serve someone famous it would be… David Suzuki. The cocktail I would make cool again is… the Pina Colada. Drinkers are paying attention to… passionate bartenders who give exceptional service. If I ruled the world, I would make everyone… a Boulevardier.

Andy Chu, The Everleigh (VIC)

I became a bartender because… I wanted to change the world and didn’t study politics.

My service weapon is… A big shiny warm smile. The Everleigh is beautiful, it can be a little intimidating. It’s up to us to welcome people with open arms. The best part of the industry is… Meet new people and shaping their evening, it’s a continuously inspiring challenge.

The worst part is… Missing out on a real breakfast. Fried chicken and beer at 5am doesn’t count. The international bar I want to visit is… The American Bar at The Savoy. If I could serve someone famous it would be… Winston Churchill. The cocktail I would make cool again is… The Manhattan. Drinkers are paying attention to… Every single element involved in having a good time – the methodology of the bar, consistency of service, music, decor. If I ruled the world, I would make everyone… Respect alcohol. It’s a wonderful facilitator of social experience but mustn’t be abused.

Anthony Mcdonald, Heartbreaker (VIC)

I became a bartender because… It allows me to combine my excitement for getting to know people with my love for serving up the perfect drink. My service weapon is… My gangly limbs – seamlessly reaching the top shelf or across the bar without moving. The best part of the industry is… It’s a three-part camaraderie – the team, the industry and the customer. The worst part is… No one wants to mop up spew. The international bar I want to visit is… Nothing specific, I seek out venues that have a distinct spirit and bold personality. If I could serve someone famous it would be… The Stones. The cocktail I would make cool again is… I say drink what you like, when you like. Drinkers are paying attention to… Atmosphere – the experience is as important as the drink itself, if not more.

If I ruled the world, I would make everyone… Smile. Happiness is infectious.

BARS&clubs 15

classic cocktail

T

he Old Fashioned is the cocktail of choice of Don Draper, the lead character on the Mad Men television series, but it’s more than just a pop-culture flight of fancy – it’s basically the OG cocktail.

When you go all the way back to basics, the Old Fashioned is as stripped back as it gets: spirits, water, sugar, and bitters.

And while there was a similar cocktail using Holland gin (genever) that was first mentioned in Jerry Thomas’ Bartenders Guide: How to Mix Drinks in 1862, the Old Fashioned as we know it was given its name in 1881 at the Pendennis Club in Louisville, Kentucky.

The drink was historically made by one of the gentleman’s club bartenders to honour one Colonel James E. Pepper, a bourbon distiller who went on to introduce the concept to the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel bar in New York City.

THE RECIPE Like most cocktails, the recipe, the garnish and the type of whiskey are all argued over. David Embury’s canonical 1948 tome The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, specifies 12 parts American whiskey, 1 part simple syrup, 1-3 dashes Angostura bitters, a twist of lemon peel over the top, and serve garnished with said lemon peel.

In terms of garnishes, while the orange peel is the most common these days, the cherry was introduced after 1930, as was the soda water or club soda that is occasionally mentioned in recipes. There was also a brief craze for using orange bitters instead of Angostura.

CELEBRATE THE OLD FASHIONED With its conception rooted in Louisville’s history, in 2015 the city named the Old Fashioned as its official cocktail. Now, every year during the first two weeks of June, Louisville celebrates Old Fashioned Fortnight, holding a range of Bourbon events, cocktail specials and incorporating National Bourbon Day, which is celebrated on 14 June.

VARIATIONS As with any classic there are one thousand and one variations – mostly because before the name Old Fashioned became synonymous with whiskey it was just a style of drink, like a Collins – and a lot of them have vaguely entertaining names to go with them. Like the Bad-Humoured Old Fashioned which uses genever. Or the Oaxaca Old Fashioned for those who prefer mezcal. Or the Gin Old Fashioned, which is also called a Stubby Collins. There are even some Scotch versions for “aficionados of fucking up perfectly good Scotch” (according to Slate’s Troy Patterson).

And of course, the PDT team are proponents of the much-copied “Benton’s Old-Fashioned” which uses bacon fat-infused Bourbon and maple syrup as a sweetener.

OLD FASHIONED Glass: Old Fashioned Ingredients: • 60ml Rye or Bourbon whiskey • 1/2 tsp Sugar • 2-3 dashes Angostura bitters • 1 tsp of water Method: Place sugar in the bottom of the glass, add bitters and water.

Muddle until the sugar is dissolved. Add ice cubes to the glass, and stir.

Add the whiskey, stir again. Twist the orange peel over the top and add to the glass. Serve.

Garnish: Orange peel.

16 BARS&clubs

OLD FASHIONED THE RUM OLD FASHIONED One of the most common variations nowadays, is the Rum Old Fashioned. With the prevalence of amazing aged rums hitting the market around the country, the Old Fashioned is the perfect way to bring out the best in these aged rums – rather than hiding them under a pile of additional flavours.

Slightly sweeter than the original version – by virtue of the star spirit – it’s also the ideal way to introduce nervous drinkers to the joys of aged rum.

RUM OLD FASHIONED Glass: Old Fashioned Ingredients: • 60ml Bacardí 8 Años rum • 1 tsp Sugar • 2 dashes Angostura bitters • 15ml Water Method: In a glass, pour in the sugar, Angostura bitters and water. Combine everything with a bar spoon (or muddler), and add the rum. Fill the glass three quarters of the way with large ice cubes, and stir repeatedly (approximately 10 stirs).

Top with fresh ice, cut a piece of orange peel, and squeeze over the cocktail before dropping it into the drink.

Garnish: Orange peel.

The Original Mojito MOJITO

GLASS: Highball INGREDIENTS: • 2 parts BACARDÍ Carta Blanca rum • 4 lime wedges • 12 fresh mint leaves • 2 heaped tsp caster sugar • 1 part soda water/club soda METHOD: Gently press together the limes & sugar. Bruise the mint leaves by clapping them between your palms, rub them on the rim of the glass and drop them in. Next, half fill the glass with crushed ice, add the BACARDÍ Superior rum & stir. Top up with crushed ice, a splash of soda and a sprig of mint.

GARNISH: Sprig fresh mint

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guest column

ASK ME ABOUT PIRATES. NOT ABOUT BEING A FEMALE BARTENDER. Harriet Leigh has some things to say about great female pirates of history and why they would have made great bartenders.

I

was asked to write an article called: What Is It Like To Be A Woman Working Behind The Bar Who Is Always Asked About What It Is Like To Be A Woman Working Behind The Bar? If nothing I am a diligent beast so I wrote the article.

Then I read it.

Then I asked a colleague to read it.

Then we both agreed it was really boring (perhaps mirroring the mundane nature of the question…)

So on deadline day I wrote to my dear editor and told her I had failed her and to fill the void with a review for some new, limited edition sexy gin from an inner Sydney distillery or something.

But then inspiration struck in the form of the headline: Great Female Pirates Of History And Why They Would Have Made Great Bartenders.

This is not made up. There were great female pirates. And I think it’s not a leap to see that the same characteristics that make women good at piracy make women good at tending the bar. Let’s look at the evidence: WORK HARDER Piracy, it’s not often considered a female domain. Which is why the women who climbed the ladder (rope not corporate) to success in the world of swash-buckling thievery had to be more fearsome and brave than their male counterparts. This is a common theme in the history of women’s success stories. Don’t be as good. Be better.

RUM If there is one thing Jonny Depp has taught me; it’s that to be a good female pirate you’d need

booze or weapons. Nothing. Master that Cutlass and that Sabre too while you’re at it (enough of that, let’s get back on brand).

TATTOOS Lord knows why people think this is for boys.

Everyone knows that women have higher pain thresholds, and a better eye for detail and colour. So I’m not going to waste time on why female pirates have better tattoos.

to drink lots of rum, probably more than your male peers. Maybe better rum. Rum that proved your voyages of the world. You’d probably need to extol the virtues of rare West Indian rum you’ve encountered on your far-flung travels.

Maybe you have some knowledge of British Naval rum from hauls you’ve seized from your battles with the redcoats on the high seas.

Maybe you have a palate for agricoles from your explorations in the French Caribbean. Your knowledge of rum will prove your stories of pillaging (you might have done less raping than One-Eyed Willie but you’ll sure as hell match him for pillaging, make no mistake). If you can whip out some Cachaça and know what to do with it, everyone will know that you know one end of a map of Brazil from the other.

SWORD PLAY If anyone knows the fine art of sabrage, it’s a pirate. Knowing just how to slice that seal is going to make sure you don’t look like a proper Nancy in front of your toothless mates.

Nothing worse than someone who disrespects

FAST WITS Every movie I’ve ever seen on pirates suggests that being funny is a large part of being a pirate, many fights are won with some drollery before a sword is pulled (I’m fairly sure this is historically correct). This is certainly the case with bartending. Many drunks can be persuaded to leave before starting a fight if they realise that they are no match for the might of the wit behind the bar.

And most lothario’s enticements are easily deflated with a small prick to the ego with a quick quip.

WAISTCOATS A well-fitted waist-coast is an excellent way to let your clientele know you are there for business. That’s why pirates, as well as bartenders, wear them. I think.

I’m sure we all agree, so I needn’t go on.

Women pirates: Be scared, they know how to drink rum.

Women bartenders: Please ask us questions about bartending or piracy. Please stop asking us about being women behind the bar.

BARS&clubs 19

20 BARS&clubs

round table

THE BLACK PEARL The team behind the Black Pearl has more than a few awards under its belt – including consecutive ALIAs for Best Bar Team in Australia, as voted by their industry peers. So we asked them what they thought was the reason why they’re such a force to be reckoned with.

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE THE BEST, AS VOTED BY YOUR PEERS? Chris Hysted-Adams: It feels incredible, in all honesty, we’re wrapped that people still love what we do. This is our 15th birthday coming up and I’m coming to 10 years, so just with that sort of longevity, on the one hand still being relevant is great and on the other the fact that people are still enjoying what we do after all this time is a lovely pat on the back.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE CURRENT AND PREVIOUS TEAMS THAT MAKES THE VENUE SO STRONG AND EFFECTIVE? CH: It all stems from Tash and her family. Over the last 15 years they’ve set it up and anyone who is introduced into the bar, they’re effectively introduced right into the family as well. That attracts a certain type of person, it attracts likeminded people as the years have gone on. So when I was in there drinking in 2006, it was that kind of welcoming atmosphere that stems from Tash and then flows through the rest of the team that has attracted more like-minded people like Will, Cristiano, all the guys who have worked there over the years.

Nathan Beasley: The way that Black Pearl is put together, it’s all about personality, and family values. So I think that was instilled from the very beginning, because Tash and her mother and her father and her sister, set up the venue and ran at it as a family venue.

Will Sleeman: Tash has this keen nose for finding the right people for the position. You don’t really recognise it until you spend 60 hours a week with someone, but she somehow already knows that you’re going to get along before you do.

WHAT SORT OF CORE VALUES ARE PUT IN PLACE FOR THE STAFF? CH: First and foremost, it’s a really lovely sense of ownership of the bar that Tash gives to everyone.

Everyone is valued for their time and their influence over the space and that’s really important – it’s half the challenge in any job, feeling appreciated. You can’t say there is anyone here that feels underappreciated. It all stems from the family atmosphere. When you have a small team, anyone who isn’t pulling their weight – that really stands out. It hasn’t always been plain sailing. There were a few bartenders that have come and gone probably quicker than they would have liked, but yeah it puts a spotlight on everyone to make sure that they’re doing the right thing and as in any good family, you get pulled up if you’re doing anything wrong and it’s all sorted out.

NB: Working here is like being part of a sports team – looking after one another, being respectful of one another, helping each other grow and covering for each other in times of need. The number one priority is of course, having a care for our guests and a love of hospitality.

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“Black Pearl has given us a lot, none of us would be where we are without it, so we like making sure we give back to the bar and each other.”

Chris Hysted-Adams

“Working in a bar is about being in a team, you can tell who is there only for themselves and it’s the total opposite of what we’re about.”

Nathan Beasley

“Anyone can learn how to make cocktails and drinks. You can’t teach personality.

That’s where our success comes from.”

“I feel like that when I’ve been put under pressure, I haven’t felt like a needed to reach out because someone will tap me on the shoulder and ask what is going on.”

Will Sleeman

Nathan Beasley

“There is no delegation, it’s all in together and we’re all each other’s harshest critics.”

Will Sleeman

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“The fact that people are still enjoying what we do after all this time is a lovely pat on the back.”

Chris Hysted-Adams

round table

Anybody who has attitude problems – we just don’t tolerate it. Basically we try to make Black Pearl like going to your best friend’s house and having a drink there.

WS: You see it everywhere in the venue – her mum still makes the sausage rolls – they just treat everyone like they’re family, and there is an unconditional love there.

HOW DO YOU FIND STAFF? CH: Some are recommendations, but more often than not, it is people that have been drinking at the bar.

Tash has this great theory, where she says that she’ll serve them a few Old Fashioneds then they really start talking. It’s not like that’s the set rule to hiring people, but you know. I used to work in a winery and I’d come in here for knock-offs, and we struck up a bit of a rapport with Cristiano and the team that was here at the time, because they were super passionate about spirits and I was super passionate about wine.

You could see that the core values that we shared were the same. Most of the team we have now would come in here for knock-offs – Will Sleeman, Matt Stirling. It gets to a point where you build a really good rapport. One of the big things for us is that we can teach people how to make drinks our way – that’s easy.

You can’t teach personality or the core family values that we have here at the bar. You have to make sure they have that before they come in the door.

NB: When Tash’s family took a step back it was up to the bartenders to find people of a similar ilk to continue that on. So we only ever hire people that we know, people that are friends of ours or have a rapport with us. Personality and a sense of family are the best features we’re looking for. Then from there – anyone can learn how to make cocktails and drinks. You can’t teach personality. That’s where our success comes from.

TRUE TEAMWORK WS: There is no delegation, it’s all in together and we’re all each other’s harshest critics. If Matt tells me I

am doing something wrong, I’m able to question him – it’s always a discussion not a delegation of duties. We all work together, they just have the title even though we all work together.

TRAINING CH: It’s really important for us to make sure that people have a good base knowledge and that the building blocks are set – anything from spirits categories through to classic cocktails. Then on the other side we focus on menu development. We’ll normally put together a really nice, tight, balanced brief for the guys that forces them to be a bit more creative with how they put their drinks together. We like to make sure there a good relevant amount of training on all sorts of things – so we have chefs come in and talk about chocolate etc as well.

NB: I’m currently responsible for the training sessions we have each Thursday. Currently we have people come in to run through a particular spirit category, then I will follow that up with a session on drinks and cocktails, time periods, trends etc. Working in a bar is about being in a team, you can tell who is there only for themselves and it’s the total opposite of what we’re about.

Learning together is absolutely paramount to what we do. As well as just sitting the staff down and teaching them things, we do distillery visits, wine tours, brewery tours, and anything that we think is relevant in a parallel industry like chefs teaching us about mise en place or garnish techniques, or things like that.

PROTECTING YOUR TEAM’S MENTAL/PHYSICAL HEALTH CH: Drinking on shift is a big thing for us – we’re trying to reduce that as much as possible. Not only does it make things interesting on-shift, if you’re doing five days of 13 hours, the last thing you need to be doing is drinking. We’re lucky in that a lot of our team have lived together, so if there is something going on outside of work, we have the opportunity

to help each other out. Black Pearl has given us a lot, so we like making sure we give back to the bar and each other.

NB: It’s hugely important. We’re spending more time with each other than we do with family members and partners. We see them around the clock. It’s very trying hours and very long hours, sleep is at a minimum, so being able to cover one another when we’re sick and or a family member is sick, or even when an opportunity comes up, it’s essential that we do that for each other – we’re like a family. We’re all good friends, it’s important.

WS: I can only speak for myself and I feel like that when I’ve been put under pressure, I haven’t felt like a needed to reach out because someone will tap me on the shoulder and ask what is going on.

We have that support network there and it’s been really helpful for me because there isn’t really anything I can’t tell the team.

ADVICE FOR OTHER BARS CH: Make sure that everyone feel appreciated. In the past I have been very harsh but one thing that I have as a mantra is: it’s unfair to hard on staff if you haven’t taught them the right way of doing something.

So, not coming down on people for doing it the wrong way. It’s not beneficial. Show them the right way, agree on that as a direction and then you can pull them if they deviate after that. It’s easy to get angry when things go wrong.

NB: First of all you need to have a great rapport with your staff and that starts with your hiring policy.

Any successful venue, in my mind, has a great sense of community.

Any bar manager looks for people who can do that. Then you can set your core principles in place, and once you have a great staff and an ethos you can create the best venue possible in terms of the product you want to sell.

WS: Be humble and relatable and willing to put your colleagues first. Don’t pretend like you’re more important than the people around you.

BARS&clubs 23

24 BARS&clubs

operator profile

JAMES CONNOLLY The beverage director of Long Chim chats to us about how he runs three venues across three states and everything he has learned along the way to becoming a fixture on bar scene in Australia.

A

ccording to James Connolly, it was probably his dad who got him his first job in hospitality, when he started out making “gin and tonics with no ice, black and tans – things like that” at local pubs, and even in the Winkfield Working Man’s Club, back in the UK. Connolly didn’t stay in bars though, moving into the pharmaceutical industry before he made the big move to the Antipodes and found himself at a crossroads.

“Because I was here by myself, it was kind of like, well I’ll either get a job in hospitality and hopefully make some friends, or do what I was doing in pharmaceuticals, which was pretty boring,” he says. “So I decided to give hospitality another

go and Russell Blaikie at Must Wine Bar very kindly gave me a chance as a barback.

“Then there a few guys like Rob Dinnen, of Udaberri, and Zac Nelson, who now works for Domain Wine Shippers, who taught me how to make drinks.”

From there it was a self-taught skills journey, picking up techniques here and there. And Connolly honestly can’t remember when he realised he had a knack for cocktails and flavour blending.

“That’s a very good question. I remember the second ever cocktail competition I entered, I won,” he says. “Well the local part anyway. It was the Woodford Reserve Cocktail Derby seven or eight years ago, and I

did something odd, like raspberries and white pepper or something similar and it worked, so it evolved from there.”

MASTERING THE SPECIFICS Connolly is something of a specialist in spirit specific venues, with bars like Enrique’s School for Bullfighting (gin), El Publico (tequila and mezcal), and Angels’ Cut (rum) under his belt.

“In some ways it’s easier and some ways it’s harder. It’s easier in that you just kind of have one topic to focus on but then your expanded knowledge needs to be even greater.

“When you’re the manager and a customer wants to know something, all the staff are going to turn around to you and, in theory, you should

CLICHED BUT TRUE…

“I tell a lot of people – anyone that will listen really – hospitality is a lot like life, you only get out what you put in. I’ve done the hard yards and now I’ve got a great job and I work with some really amazing people, and I don’t think that would have just fallen into my lap. It’s an accumulation of doing the hard stuff and putting as much into my work as I did.

I was always one of those guys that led by example. First one in, last one out and trying to do things the correct way.”

BARS&clubs 25

operator profile

JAMES CONNOLLY CAN RELATE EVERYTHING TO CRICKET

“Because I’m a cricket tragic – there was a man by the name of Mike Brearley who won the Ashes for England. He wasn’t that good at cricket. Like, on form, he probably shouldn’t have gotten into the English team. But he was a master of people management. And one of his things, which always stuck with me, was that some people need the carrot, and some people need the opposite – the metaphorical stick. You’ll find that some people just don’t respond to being remonstrated with and some people do. Some people respond really well to positive encouragement. It’s really about reading people and working out what works for them.”

26 BARS&clubs

know the answer. Or have a pretty good idea. That’s what I believe anyway. The buck stops with you.”

And Connolly is adamant that it’s not just the “ridiculously weird or stupid questions” you should be able to cover – if you can’t talk at length about each product in the bar, well.

“That’s one of the things to teach younger bartenders – 75 per cent of the information that anyone is ever going to want to know about a product is pretty much written on the label anyway. When you’re there polishing the bottle on the backbar, it’s literally a case of reading it before you put it back.”

CHECK YOUR EGO According to Connolly, designing cocktails for a restaurant bar – especially the bar in the restaurant of the Western world’s authority on Thai cuisine, is a little different to creating a straight up cocktail menu in a regular bar.

“I work for one of the best Thai chefs in the world – he is going to love me talking him up like

this – so in the same way that a sommelier writes a wine list, you’re focusing on the food and you’re focusing on creating things that will complement and work with the cuisine.

“As much as I like to think people are coming in to drink my drinks, I’m pretty sure they’re coming in to eat David’s food. And I’m just a supporting part of the show.”

Not that he hasn’t had some solid feedback from the foodies on the cocktail menu and how well it pairs with the food.

“We try very hard to make sure the drinks complement the food and I’ve had a few people say to me that they could just drink the cocktails.

Usually they’ll start with a cocktail and go to wine but I’ve had a few people say that they could drink the cocktails the whole way through the meal with the food as well. Which is a great compliment.”

CROSSING STATE LINES With three venues in different states, there are a few peculiarities to making sure that the ‘brand’ of Long Chim is always consistent, as well as making sure all the staff are communicating with Connolly.

“In Melbourne we work very closely with the Crown beverage team to ensure that it’s the same as all the other Long Chims,” he says.

“Sydney, once again, every so often I get to go back there but I’m in constant contact with the team so that we can address any problems that may arise. And just make sure that we’re all following the same recipes.

“Actually, I had a local food personality in last night. I had made him a drink the other day, and he got one of the guys to make him the same drink. He said that it was a compliment to me, the fact that the drink that the other bartender made tasted exactly the same way as it did when I made it. So, in theory, that works across the whole country.”

Connolly explains that he trains his staff like one would kitchen staff – it’s all about tasting everything.

“Constantly taste stuff as you’re making it through the processes.

“I know it’s a cliché,

but any good business runs on communication.

They know that my phone is always on and that they can

contact me at any point if they need to.”

That’s probably the best way to get to know the products that we’re putting out.”

COMMUNICATE! “I know it’s a cliché – but any good business runs on communication,” says Connolly.

And that’s not just end of day reporting or weekly check-ins – though those are important too.

“They know that my phone is always on and that they can contact me at any point if they need to,” he says. “Melbourne is a fairly new restaurant but it’s 100 per cent open communication with them if they need anything and vice versa.”

STAFF: PERSONALITY VS SKILL “I generally go through the resumes and I filter out the ones that I think will work then I tend to get them down and interview them, and after that I ask them to jump behind the bar and make me a couple of drinks,” says Connolly.

It’s usually a classic, like a Daiquiri to prove that they understand balance, then he’ll get them to make a drink of their choice, pour a beer from a tap and discuss a glass of wine. That gives him a good idea of their skills.

“We have to look at people for their potential, and if they have worked in good places then you can

hope that they would be adaptable to working in another good place, with slightly different guidelines,” he says.

Turns out, Connolly doesn’t really subscribe to the cliché of employing personality and teaching skills – but has he jokingly points out, he thinks he’s, “probably not the best person to be talking about personality”.

Though he assures us he can be quite charming if he needs to be.

“Obviously personality helps, but the hardest thing to find is people that care,” he clarifies. “That’s the number one quality that I would hope for. People that care what they do and about the job that they’re doing.”

For more information contact Cerbaco on 0396468022 or cerbaco.com.au BARS&clubs 27

DON’T BE A BLEND SNOB

If anyone tries to tell you that single malts are the only whiskies worth drinking, feel free to give them side eye.

W

hisky snobbery is rife across the liquor industry – professional and amateur – but the tides are turning, with fans of the blended form of the amber nectar singing its praises.

Gabriella Payne of Melbourne’s Whisky and Alement freely admits that she started out as a bit of a single malt snob, before learning the error of her ways.

“Personally, I have to admit that I was a little prejudiced against blended whisky, but I think that there really are some quality blended whiskies out there,” she says. “Attitudes are definitely starting to change but a lot of

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people still have the mindset that single malt is better.”

She also points out that we have the blended whisky industry to thank for keeping the single malt industry alive, in a way.

“Back in the 80s blends were way more popular, so a lot of the single malt distilleries would have probably shut down if not for blends,” says Payne.

Ev Liong, who also tends bar at Whisky and Alement and The Melbourne Whisky Room, is hopeful that the winds of change are starting the blow and the snobs are quieting down.

“They forget that it is the blends that kept the single malt

distilleries open, because you need a workhorse,” she says. “Blends just have a lot more to offer than single malts, sometimes. And they’ve always lent themselves to a wider market because they cover a lot more palates. It’s like going to a party with a party mix of nuts instead of just the one kind that you love.”

YOU’RE MISSING OUT Liong says that by avoiding blends, people are missing out on the subtle art that goes into creating them.

“Blends are just really underrated – but like anything there are good and bad ones on the market,” she says.

scotch whisky

Payne says that people forget that the blended whisky category is a lot bigger than it first appears, and some digging outside the big names can turn up whisky gold.

“To be honest there are some brilliant blended whiskies that are lesser known,” she says. “My favourite blend is the Spencer Collings Founders Reserve, it’s amazing – it’s made by the same guy who came up with Johnnie Walker Blue Label, but it’s so much richer and has so much going on.”

SIP & SAVOUR While blends lend themselves well to cocktails, being often a lot softer and less aggressive that their single malt counterparts, there are plenty that should only be mixed with water or ice.

“If you get a quality drop, it is really nice to sit and sip on,” says Payne. “There are so many out there – it really depends on what mood you’re in as well. If it’s a hot day I don’t want anything too smoky, but there really is something for everyone out there.”

Liong reiterates that you would be crazy to put certain whiskies in a cocktail, ever, under any circumstances.

“Some of them you would never put in a cocktail, like Johnnie Walker King George V – no one in their right mind would put that in a cocktail. It’s really great sipping whisky,” she says.

“Whisky was made for the working man, that’s how this started – it was as common as beer. It was never the wanky thing that some people are turning it into.” – Ev Liong

BUT WAIT… Islay malts can be a bit confronting for a lot of drinkers. Lucky they work quite well in cocktails as a way of introducing your more skittish customers.

PAYNE: I find the smoky whisky flavours are pretty polarising, but give them a chance, and start with something lighter on the peat scale – like a Bunnahabhain which is more mild. Then you can work your way up to your big Octomores. But I think cocktails they really subtly bring you into the whole category of the Islay style. We always offer a Smoky Islay Old Fashioned alongside a regular Old Fashioned, and they’re really popular.

Once it has been stirred down a little, it really takes the edges off that harsh smoke. That’s a nice one. We also use a peaty whisky in Whisky Sours as well. It balances out. We had one a few months ago – the Smoking Red Devine which was Ardbeg with sweet vermouth, port and chocolate bitters and a little bit of sugar syrup.

LIONG: Cocktails are always a good way to introduce people to unusual flavours or different experiences because people tend to have a bit more time and patience for cocktails because there is so much history and story behind the drink without going into the airy-fairy, wanky, technical stuff that is involved in a single malt. I love single malts, I just don’t like that part of our industry. We’ve done a few – at Whisky and Alement, when you ask for a Whisky Sour it’s done with Ledaig 10-year-old and that’s a great way to ease in. Or we do it a little more subtly with a Speyside that’s peated like a Benromach Peat Smoke. It’s a little bit lighter, a different type of peat. And we have the Campfire Cobbler at The Melbourne Whisky Room, which has Longrow Peated with Pedro Ximenez and a Laphroaig mist.

They’re really popular.

BARS&clubs 29

scotch whisky

SCOTCH WHISKY REGIONS 101

character thanks to the particular climatic conditions. The region features unique granite mountains, heathery moorlands and a valley that is the watershed of a system of rivers. The whiskies are noted for exhibiting flowery, heatheryhoney notes, and mellow flavours.

Some of the distillers also feature a light peatiness.

Single malts are divided according to the geographical location of the distilleries, and for good reason – apart from the Highland malts, each geographic area has a distinct style of whisky.

ISLAY The island of Islay isn’t nicknamed Whisky Island for nothing – the tiny landmass features no less than eight producing distilleries.

These whiskies are the strongest flavoured of the four main regions and are renowned for their dryness, maritime flavours and strong peat smoke, thanks to the abundance of local peat and exposed seaside conditions.

Distilleries: Glenfiddich, The Glenlivet, The Macallan, and Balvenie.

Distilleries: Bowmore, Ardbeg, Lagavulin, and Laphroaig.

CAMPBELTOWN Located in the south west this small sub-region produces a whisky that lands somewhere between the Islay and Speyside styles. The exposed, coastal location of the town, the whisky features a particularly oily, briny quality.

Distillery: Springbank.

LOWLAND Lowland whisky distilleries are all located south of Dundee in the east, and Greenock in the west. While there are not that many anymore, just three in fact, whiskies from this region tend toward being soft and light in character, with malty, grassy notes and subtle, delicate aromas.

Distilleries: Auchentoshan, Bladnoch, and Glenkinchie.

HIGHLAND The Highland distilleries are all located north of the aforementioned imaginary border, and they make up the largest group of distilleries in the country. Because of the 30 BARS&clubs

larger geographical area of this region, there is greater variation between styles of the distilleries.

The western part of the Highlands tends toward a firm, dry character with slight peatiness and saltiness.

The northern Highlands tend to produce whiskies with a more spicy character. The east and into the Midlands – being more sheltered from the coastal winds – produces whiskies of a more fruity character.

Distilleries: Dalmore, Dalwhinnie, and Glenmorangie.

SPEYSIDE Whiskies from the valley of the River Spey have a very specific

ISLE OF SKYE A spectacularly beautiful island of wild moorlands and dramatic mountain peaks known as the Cuillins. Although only one distillery produces malt whisky on the island, it’s also home to the world famous whisky liqueur, Drambuie.

Distillery: Talisker.

ORKNEY ISLANDS The extreme northern archipelago of mostly uninhabited islands around Orkney is the definition of isolation, however, above the town of Kirkwall sits the ‘High Park’, home of the legendary Highland Park distillery, said to have been founded in 1795.

Distilleries: Highland Park.

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gin

BOTANICAL NEWS As the search for wilder and more interesting botanicals takes new turns, we look at what distilleries are doing now, and the ethics of the search.

ETHICAL BOTANICALS Toby Kline, of Adelaide Hills Distillery says that his quest to ‘do the right thing’ when it comes to sourcing botanicals for the distillery all started with a simple question: “I got a phone call from one of my good friends, Richard Gunner of Feast Fine Foods, and he had been working on setting up a company called Something Wild,” says Kline.

“We say down for a coffee and he asked, ‘Are you doing the right thing?’”, and I wasn’t sure.”

From there Kline and the team started doing their research and uncovered that there is actually a permit system in some parts of the country – like the Northern Territory 32 BARS&clubs

– by which standards are set regarding crop sizes and harvesting methods to protect the valuable botanicals. The permits also ensure that the proceeds of the ingredient sales are funnelled back into the communities that harvest the plants and insects, rather than lining corporation pockets.

“It piqued our interest because we found that it was the only way to source paddock-to-plate, for want of a better term,” he says.

Kline explains that while the movement in new, it is an important one as the thirst for indigenous ingredients expands and their use becomes more prevalent.

It’s an important aspect of bar

business – your coffee might be fair trade, but with the upswing in interest in native botanicals – are your cocktail ingredients also fair trade? Are the systems you have in place contributing to the indigenous community or exploiting it?

“A lot of coffee roasters and people in general are interested in fair trade products, so it’s the exact same principle here,” says Kline. “A lot of these indigenous ingredients have been used for thousands of years, and we’re working off the back of what they know, so it was important for us to make sure that there was an economic benefit for indigenous communities as well as an intellectual acknowledgment.”

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Look, honestly, how would we know?

But what we do know is that it makes a super tasty Southside*.

“Your coffee might be fair trade,

but what about your cocktail ingredients? Are

the sourcing systems you have in place contributing to the

indigenous community or exploiting it?”

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WWW.FOURPILLARSGIN.COM.AU

gin

It’s not about being a ‘social justice warrior’ – it’s about being a responsible citizen.

FORAGING, FOOD MATCHES & FLORAL SEASONALITY With so many gins on the market it can be hard for brands to find a point of difference. That is where local foraging comes into play – the use of distinctly local ingredients creates a form of terroir for a gin. While new distilleries have hired official foragers – like Manly

Distilling Co’s ex-Noma forager – others have turned to their local producers to invoke a sense of their local environs.

George Burgess, distiller at the brand new Dasher + Fisher brand from Tasmania’s Southern Wild distillery, says that his whole philosophy and flavour exploration is impacted by his background in food and his background with Indian cuisine.

“It’s guided the design of the spirits from the beginning,” he says.

SHOULD YOU REFRIGERATE YOUR

GIN?

As pretty as they all look sitting along your back bar – is it actually better for your customers to have the gin ice cold, to give them the best G&T experience possible?

Ask a Spaniard and they will probably say yes.

But then they will also probably tell you that the perfect G&T ratio is 50 millilitres of gin to just 20 millilitres of tonic.

The scientific theory behind the use of cold gin relates to the interplay of the bubbles and the carbonic acid in the tonic, with the ethanol in your gin – the colder everything is, the better the flavours and textures integrate. Giving your customer a better flavour and sensation experience overall.

So consider serving your G&Ts the Spanish way: big ice blocks, huge glass, very cold tonic water, and very cold gin.

“I was inspired by Indian cuisine and how complex and intricate the combinations can be, and having travelled through France visiting perfumeries, I was inspired by how they were able to layer the perfumes into top notes, mid notes and base notes.”

So he set about combining those two theories to create his gin. As for why he decided to focus on Tasmanian botanicals to create each of the distinct Ocean, Meadow, and Mountain gins in the range, he previously worked with the seaweed producers that supply the key ingredient for the Ocean gin, and fell in love with their dedication to Tasmanian stories and local businesses.

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gin

THE

“LIGHT” TONIC CONUNDRUM

“So I ended up down this pathway of making gin and I thought, ‘I’m going to have another look at that seaweed to see if I can make use of it’,” says Burgess.

Then he discovered that it makes for an excellent base note, creating a longer palate experience for drinkers. While Tasmanian pepperberry can fill in what are often missing mid notes in a gin profile, and while the local lavender notes used may be imperceptible, lavender (according to French perfumers) works much like salt does in cooking, as a flavour/ aroma enhancer.

“We focus on other local ingredients too, we get bay leaves from Paradise – to get there you travel through Nowhere Else, and cross over the Dasher River,” he says.

While that might sound like a quest from the world of Link and Zelda, they’re mappable locations that produce botanicals that Burgess

says are incomparable in terms of flavour.

“Early on in my distilling career I was given fresh ingredients from Paradise, and identical ones from Wilmot and there was a distinct difference between the two,” he says. “I thought it was a one-off, but a little later I was given a bunch of identical produce from those two same farms. The hair on my neck stood up as I realised that same signature that I picked up initially was present in every single piece of produce from Paradise.

“And I realised that the French knew what they were talking about – I had just experienced terroir.”

So Burgess set about bringing that sense of terroir to his gin creations, proudly showcasing seasonality and regionality in his produce.

“I’m going to take snapshots of seasons, and distil it and bottle it and people will be able to taste the best of what is available right now.”

While distilleries like Archie Rose have been pushing to get people to drink their gin with soda water rather than tonic, so that the tonic’s flavours don’t interfere with the botanical profile of the gin, there has also been a shift toward “light” tonics on the market.

These products, from brands like Fever-Tree and StrangeLove, have less sugar – making them bone dry on the palate and a whole lot more bitter in taste profile.

Chat to distillers and they will tell you that the lighter the tonic the better – the lower sugar level allows big ticket gins (and the flavours your customers are paying for) to really show their value as their full botanical profile shines.

A word of warning though – if your customers are used to their mainstream sweeter tonics, you might need to word them up that this G&T will potentially be a lot bitterer from the quinine than their regular tipple.

BARS&clubs 35

keep your career healthy

START LIKE YOU MEAN TO CONTINUE For the beginning of our series on self-care and career longevity, we chatted with Tess Scott-Ramsay, an experienced bartender and health professional who regularly helps out her compatriots with their work-related aches and pains… here’s what she has to say about staying healthy in the industry.

How long have you worked in the industry?

I have worked as a massage therapist on and off for seven years, and have worked in hospitality for 15 years. I found that bartending can be incredibly tough on the body, which is what prompted me to explore body work.

In my experience, people who work in hospitality push themselves to extremes regularly, including wait staff and especially chefs and bartenders, which can often result in sore muscles at best and ongoing injuries at worst.

Why is it important to look after your body as a bartender?

If you want longevity in the hospitality industry it is essential that you look after your body. If you’re working long shifts on your feet, constantly shaking cocktails, bending over a bar that may not be ergonomically suited to your height, lifting kegs, boxes, bar stools, flipping up bottles with your wrist, all whilst serving customers, and without looking after yourself, then you’re going to run into some serious issues in the future.

Carpel tunnel syndrome is one of many issues I treat regularly, along with aching lower backs, tension headaches, sciatica, and sadly many other injuries, both acute and chronic.

What are some of the stretches/moves that bartenders can easily do before and after a shift?

I would approach each shift as a marathon; you always stretch before a big race! The basic stretches you learnt in PE class at school, with a few added in.

What long-term health strategies do you recommend to your clients?

Work life balance! Making sure that you eat healthy food, get regular exercise, stretch before shift, see a massage therapist, osteopath or someone to adjust you.

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Yoga is a wonderful medium for exercise as it strengthens the body, but also enables flexibility and quietens the mind.

What can people get in contact with you about, if they’re in Melbourne and need a bit more help?

In the future I am looking at working closely with a personal trainer to set up an individual program for each client.

I will assess each client, and then myself and the personal trainer would work out a personalised training and treatment program tailored to strengthen, relieve pain and increase wellbeing.

If you need a bit of TLC and you’re around Melbourne you can reach Tess Scott-Ramsay here: Phone: 0425865722 Email: tsrremedialmassage@gmail.com

keep your career healthy

GET MOVING BEFOREÂ A SHIFT Try some of these stretches before you get behind the bar.

(But always consult a physician before starting an exercise program.)

Standing quadricep stretch F O R

P E O P L E

Glute stretch

F O R

Cat and cow stretch W I T H

L O W E R

B A C K

Hip flexor stretch

P E O P L E

Shoulder stretch

W I T H

S H O U L D E R

Tricep stretch

P A I N :

Knee to chest lower back stretch

I S S U E S :

Chest stretch BARS&clubs 37

ALL MIXED UP

You’ve heard all about beer cocktails – is wine as a mixer next? Plus we chat with James Irvine from the Swillhouse Group about why cream fell out of fashion, and Mikey Nicolian on just why he is so fussy about shrubs.

38 BARS&clubs

mixers

CREAM YOURSELF It might conjure nightmares about RSL cocktail lists brimming with Chocolate Mudslides and Toblerones, but cream is coming back as a mixer after years lost in the 90s wilderness. We asked James Irvine all about it.

WHY DID CREAM GO OUT OF FASHION? “I think it was the way it was being used. Not so much the ingredient itself but the drinks themselves. I don’t like to badmouth drinks, or styles of drinks, but I think bartending moved away from the sickly sweet dessert serves into the more refined palates that we have today – but there is still a place for it as an ingredient.”

HOW CAN IT BE USED? “One of my favourite drinks is a Ramos Gin Fizz. It’s a classic and it’s not necessarily an overly creamy drink – the cream is used as a binding protein. That’s a good way to use dairy – there are lots of different techniques to using dairy as well – extractions and things.

Whey is a good example of that – you get that texture without necessarily using straight dairy.”

“It’s like that really smoking gun element. If you don’t

use it properly, cream can really fuck you over.” – James Irvine HOW ARE YOU USING CREAM ON YOUR COCKTAIL LISTS AT SWILLHOUSE CURRENTLY? “We use it as a binding agent and a textural element. Obviously it does add an element of aeration. So we have a really nice twist on a Grasshopper right now at Shady Pines; we also using it in foams and in layering – I’ve tried to bring back the zoom. Zooming cocktails is something that was really popular in the 80s and 90s, where you actually have a cream float. I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s come back, but it’s definitely a cheesy kind of fun way of doing it. But as with anything, you want to make sure that you validate every ingredient that you have in your cocktail.”

ANY SPECIFIC TIPS OR TRICKS TO USING CREAM? “Fresh is best and balance is important, because if you don’t balance it out, it will curdle. Then you have cream chunks. And always, always fine strain. Because it has that whey property to it, if you’re shaking drinks with cream you’ll get a film and that’s not nice. It’s like that really smoking gun element. If you don’t use it properly it can really fuck you over.”

BARS&clubs 39

mixers

I DON’T WANT NO SHRUB Well, not one that is badly made anyway. Mikey Nicolian, of Sydney’s Continental Deli, is very fussy about how he makes his shrubs, and how they’re used in the bar. Trust us when we say that you want to listen to his advice.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF MAKING YOUR OWN SHRUBS? “First and foremost it’s about preserving flavours. I’ve just done a massive batch of peach shrub, so I’m going to have that flavour in probably six months’ time and it’s probably going to be even better.

Another benefit is that it delivers a completely different style of flavour to anything else really. It’s super sharp and sweet and fruitful.”

HOW DO YOU USE THEM? “I’m pretty particular about this – I put a lot of time and work into making them. Also, with them being these big flavours, I find mixing them in cocktails quite challenging and, honestly if I see a cocktail on a list with a shrub in it, I tend to avoid it. Just because I think that they’re really big flavours and it’s very hard to get right. For me, I do my shrubs as a non-alcoholic drink.

I serve it with sparkling water, and I garnish it with something that complements the flavour of whatever the shrub is made from.

So for example I really love the combination of peach and rosemary or lemon verbena. That’s it. Long, refreshing, non-alcoholic drinks.”

IF YOU WANTED TO SPIKE THAT LONG DRINK, WHAT WOULD YOU USE? “It depends, of course, on the flavour of the shrub. Stuff like this works quite well with clean styles of booze, like gin or vodka. I also really like Fino Sherry with shrubs to make a spritz-style drink – keep it light and fresh, so you’re still not 40 BARS&clubs

diluting it too much with other big characters. But, even then, things like white rum in a style that is really clean works as well. Basically white spirits and sherries.”

HOW DO YOU MAKE YOURS IN-HOUSE? “So, again, this is something I’m quite particular about. I think that a lot of people cheat and they cook fruit down with sugar and water and then cut that with vinegar, and keep it all in one pan and do it all within a couple of hours. For me, I can’t do that because it becomes too harsh and the fruit flavour becomes quite stewed. I take quite a while to make mine. I get fruit in and when it’s on the cusp of being too dodgy to eat, I cut it up into chunks, cover it with sugar – usually about three

“I find mixing them in cocktails quite challenging and, honestly

if I see a cocktail on a list with a shrub in it, I

tend to avoid it.”

– Mikey Nicolian

quarters of the weight of the fruit you have, you will need in sugar, so for one kilo of fruit you need 750 grams of sugar. Stick it in a big tub and shake it all around then put it in the fridge, to stop it fermenting and to keep the flavours fresh. Then after about a week of shaking the tub and checking on it, the fruit starts to swim around in a really syrupy liquid. So then I cut that with vinegar – the same number of grams of sugar but in millilitres of vinegar. I then let that sit in there for another week, a lot of people strain it out straight away, but I like to let it sit and strain out after a week what I need when I need it. So the fruit that stays in there softens it and makes it more delicious.”

WHAT SORT OF VINEGAR DO YOU RECOMMEND? “Now I used to change the kind of vinegar a lot and it was interesting playing around with different combinations like, rice vinegar and pears which was pretty cool; white vinegar and plums to make it a little more sharp; and chardonnay vinegar with stone fruit and that worked quite well. But I got to the point where playing around with the different types of vinegars, it was inconsistent, whereas the chardonnay vinegar worked across the board. It was really good. So now I just tend to use that, and it works really well – it’s a little bit sweeter and less confronting when you go to drink it. If you’re using really cheap white vinegar, it’s going to be difficult to make that taste good.”

WINE NOT? Sean Bosman explains why wine is a perfect cocktail ingredient.

According to Bosman, using wine as you would any other cocktail ingredient is a bit of a no-brainer.

“There are so many different wines with different flavour profiles – they are great to use as a base ingredient or a flavour modifier because they are so versatile,” he says.

As for what he would say to bartenders that have concerns over using wine in their recipes, he suggests that wine provides a great opportunity to explore the palate, try different flavours, textures and depths in cocktails.

“Wine opens new territories on your cocktail menu, so have a bit of fun and give it a go.”

As for how he approaches the task of incorporating wine into cocktails, he says that he simply starts with the tasting notes on the wines and takes a leap from there – simple stuff.

“Sticking to the inspiration throughout makes each cocktail really simple to create,” he says.

Keeping them as twists on classics works well too. For example Bosman’s Malbec Sour features a familiar style and ingredients with the wine as the twist, with 60ml Montenegro Amaro liqueur, 10ml agave syrup, 15ml fresh lime juice and 30ml egg whites – made as you would a regular sour.

As for how he would address customer concerns over wine in cocktails, he says it’s a case of using familiar flavours and cocktail concepts to ease them in.

“Yes, easing people into the concept of trying or making their own cocktails with wine by using familiar flavours will reduce any hesitation in getting them to try a wine cocktail,” says Bosman.

“I think of mixing cocktails like cooking; it’s all about finding balance in flavours, from there you can be creative and experiment with different ingredients to mix things up.”

Cocktails taste great with...

Tio Pepe Sour - 25ml Tio Pepe - 25ml Soberano 5 - 25ml lemon juice - 12.5ml Lemon juice - Angostura bitters - Egg white In a boston tin dry shake and then wet shake the ingredients, fill rocks glass with ice and strain. Garnish with lemon zest. This beautiful twist on the classic Sour, allows Tio Pepe fino sherry and Soberano 5, with lemon and Angostura Bitters shine in this mouth watering little number.

For more information on this product, please contact The Wine Company on Ph: (03) 9562 3900 or email: orders@wineco.com.au BARS&clubs 41

IS SOUR THE NEW HOPPY? Jeremy Sambrooks delves into the wild and wonderful world of sour and wild ales.

S

pend time in a craft beer bar and you’ll eventually hear someone utter the phrase, ‘sour is the new hoppy’. Let’s take a minute to examine that claim.

A recent survey revealed that pale ale and IPA are Australia’s most consumed craft beer styles, while sour beers don’t crack the top five.

No, hop-driven beers aren’t going to give up their dominance of the craft beer market any time soon.

But that said, while sour beers only account for a small percentage of sales, their popularity has risen exponentially in recent years, as more and more craft brewers are taking up the challenge of brewing these notoriously tricky beers.

BELGIAN SOUR BEERS Until recently, almost all of the sour beer in the world was brewed in Belgium. These beers come from two distinct families – lambic and Flanders ale.

Lambics are brewed in the Pajottenland region of Belgium, south-west of Brussels, and in the city of Brussels at the Cantillon brewery. Much like Champagne or Kölsch, the lambic name is legally protected so only beers made in this region can use the name.

Unlike most beers, which are fermented with cultivated strains of brewer’s yeast, lambics are spontaneously fermented through exposure to the wild yeast and bacteria native to the area. They are then aged in wooden lambic barrels where they are further fermented, and usually blended before final bottling.

Unblended lambics are rare, bracingly sour and typically served uncarbonated. Gueuze is a blend of young (one-year-old) and old (two and three-year-old) lambic that undergoes secondary fermentation in the bottle. These beers are usually highly carbonated and very complex, with flavours that range from cider, to barnyard and even cheese.

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beer

Fruit lambics are usually made with young lambic and an addition of cherry (kriek) or raspberry (framboise), although other fruits are also used. Traditional fruit lambics are tart, very dry beers, although some more modern versions are artificially sweetened, for a sweet ‘n’ sour finish.

Flanders ales originate from West Flanders, Belgium and are primarily fermented with lactobacillus, which produces a sour character. They are aged for long periods – often over a year – in oak barrels, where they increase in complexity and acidity.

Blenders will combine old and young beer to achieve a desirable balance, though flavour and acidity can vary greatly. Flanders ales are generally maltier than lambics with a fuller body and considerable fruit (usually cherry) flavour, even when no fruit is used. With their acidity, fruitiness and oaky notes, these are the most wine-like beers in the world.

The Flanders style is often separated into the lighter, more acidic oud red and the stronger, sweeter oud bruin.

GERMAN SOUR BEERS Sour beers of German origin were all but extinct until quite recently. Thankfully, a small number of German breweries held on and a growing number of craft breweries have brought them back to life.

First is Berliner weisse, a cloudy, sour, pale wheat beer of around 3.0% ABV, originating in North Germany.

It is fermented with a mixture of yeast and lactic acid bacteria, for a clean sour character that is much milder than its Belgian counterparts. The beer is highly carbonated and is served with flavoured syrups, commonly raspberry or green woodruff.

Gose (pronounced go-zuh) originated from the German town of Goslar, but gained popularity in Leipzig. Made with coriander and salt, gose is unusual for a German beer in that it does not comply with the Reinheitsgebot – it has been allowed an exemption on the grounds of being a regional specialty. Like Berliner weisse, gose is made with a percentage of wheat malt and gets its sourness through inoculation with lactobacillus bacteria.

For periods throughout the 20th century, the gose style disappeared completely, but it has since gained popularity with craft breweries around the world.

SOURS FROM ‘THE NEW WORLD’ Much of the current growth in popularity for sour beer can be attributed to modern craft breweries, which have been recreating once lost sour beer styles and taking them in new directions, creating new styles in the process. These include American-style sour ales – which are generally soured with bacterial cultures; wild beers – which undergo spontaneous fermentation much like their lambic cousins; and contemporary gose – which differ from traditional gose by the addition of fruits, spices and other non-traditional ingredients.

Excerpt of an article originally published in Beer & Brewer Issue 39.

DRINK

LOCAL Try these eight local bottled sour beers: 1. Boatrocker Miss Pinky Raspberry Berliner Weisse – the addition of 100 kilograms of fresh raspberries to the fermenter help give this beer its distinctive colour, aroma and flavour.

2. Two Metre Tall Derwent – a unique ale made with spelt and 2MT’s own indigenous souring organisms.

3. Brew Cult Acid Freaks – a balsamic Baltic porter that is rich, sweet and – of course – acidic.

4. Craftwork Red Bonnet – a traditional oud red that comes in both original and cherry.

5. Garage Project Wabi Sabi Sour – naturally soured strong ale with honeydew melon and yuzu.

6. Holgate Hop Tart – a ‘semi-sour pale ale’ that marries acidity with citrusy Australian hops.

7. La Sirène Wild Saison – an otherwise traditional saison fermented and aged with brett.

8. Moa Cherry Sour – annually released, barrel fermented and aged cherry beer with brett.

BARS&clubs 43

WHISKY, BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT EXPERIMENT NO.1